A mandatory catch-and-release angling programme for bonefish could create a source of sustainable tourism in the Bahamian Archipelago.
Biology and Ecology of Bonefish
It was thought that there was just one species of bonefish to be found on the flats of the Caribbean but recent research, conducted by the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, has found that there are in fact 3 species of bonefish. Determination of individual species is by genetic testing alone; they cannot be identified by appearance.
Bonefish are classified as a family of ray-finned fish called Albulidae. Their fins are webs of skin supported by bony spines, referred to as dermal rays. The common name of bonefish comes from the many small bones the body contains.
They are slender fish with silver scales on the sides and underside of their body. They appear blue-green when seen from above and have dark longitudinal lines running between the rows of scales. Bonefish have a protruding conical shaped nose and a mouth that lies inferior.
They inhabit warm tropical waters worldwide, and in the Western Atlantic, although they are found as far north as North Carolina, they are most abundant in Florida, Bermuda and the Bahamas.
Their habitats are tidal flats, where they feed on small crustaceans, mollusks, benthic worms and small bait fish, and gain protection from predatory fish.
The bonefish use modified granular teeth, that form dental plates, to grind and crush the crustaceans and mollusks they feed on.
Bonefish are schooling fish. When young, and small in size, schools can be anywhere from 10 to 100 in size. As they get larger, bonefish can often be found in 'couples' or small schools of up to four.
The Bonefish Fishery in the Bahamas
Tourism is of huge economic importance to the Bahamian Archipelago, which includes the Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Recreational angling for bonefish, using the skilled method of fly fishing, is a popular activity for tourists to the Bahamas. Dr. Andy Danylchuck, in the paper "Ecology and Management of Bonefish (Albula spp) in the Bahamian Archipelago",states that many tourists will dedicate their entire trip to the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, to fishing for bonefish. Data from the Government of the Bahamas revealed that 5,000 of the 1.5 million tourists who filled out immigration departure forms in 2004 were visiting purely for bone/fly fishing according to Dr. Danylchuck.
Fishery regulations across the Bahamian Archipelago are limited despite their economic and ecological value. The Bahamas Department of Fisheries states that it is prohibited to capture bonefish using nets and to trade bonefish commercially. Many recreational anglers in the Bahamas practice voluntary catch-and-release. It can be an effective method for protecting the fishery as long as post release mortality is at a minimum. Factors such as hooking vital organs and the duration of the 'fight', and handling, should be reduced as much as possible to decrease the susceptibility of fish to predation after release.
Although currently there is no data on the biology and ecology of bonefish to help create conservation and management plan for the Caribbean fisheries there are research projects in place. The Cape Eleuthera Institute, based in Eleuthera and the Bonefish Tarpon Trust are two such projects so hopefully in the future bonefishing can become a completely sustainable form of tourism in the Bahamas.
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